REFLECTIONS
By Carmen Linda Conklin, Co-Founder of Rustic Hollow Shelter



I recently had my poetry book, Reflections, re-printed. The first printing was in 1979, the same year it was copyrighted. I decided I’d reprint some copies and use them as a fund raiser for my favorite charity, our own C & W’s Rustic Hollow Shelter, Inc., Nashua, Iowa.
Since founding Rustic Hollow in 1985, the journey has been eventful, rewarding and fulfilling. Now that I am retired, I still remain as ‘support staff’ for the very capable Management Team now in place.
The poems are a REFLECTION on my life in my earlier years. As an only child, my ‘escapes’ and my ‘passing the time’ were in expressing my thoughts through writing stories, poems, and letters to pen pals all over the world. The very last poem in the book was one of the very first poems I wrote when I was in 5th or 6th grade. Several of those ending poems are reflections written in my younger days, the days of finding one’s self.
The poems from the beginning of the book were written in the 1960’s-1970’s, my high school/college/teaching days as my ‘self’ grew and matured with the passing of time.
So if you would like a copy of my poetry book, REFLECTIONS, please make a donation of $15 (or more) per book to C & W’s Rustic Hollow Shelter. I would truly appreciate it, as it will go towards helping an adoption challenged cat have a ‘chance at a lifetime’ at our cage-free sanctuary. Our paypal addy is: rustichollowshelter@gmail.com
Our mailing address: P.O. Box 67, Nashua, IA 50658-0067
Please be sure to include your mailing address with your donation.
Thank You. Carmen Linda Conklin

2022 was an adventurous year with a lot happening at Rustic Hollow: a lot of repairs, upgrading for the kitties comforts, new outdoor catio built much more.  
We look forward to an even better year in 2023.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE. And thank you for all you do for Rustic Hollow Shelter.
​

As of September 16, 2021 we are making progress from the flood damage that occurred August 8, 2021. A flash flood damaged three of our five sanctuary buildings and the cats needed to be relocated until ServPro could do clean up and dry wall could be repaired and new cabinets replaced in our clinic room. As of this date, two of our buildings are repaired and the cats have returned to their buildings. Our main building flooring has just been finished. We thank John and Midwest Surface Prep for the beautiful new flooring in the buildings. These photos show the improvements and the cats that are back in Sandy's Kitty Haven as of this week.

CALLING ALL SUPPORTERS!!!
We need YOUR help, Nashua received almost 10" of rain in the middle of the night on August 8, 2021 & as you can see from the photos it has severely damaged a lot of our sanctuary buildings. Thankfully all of our kitties are doing fine other than having wet feet (Which they are not too happy about! )
We could seriously use all the help we can get, we are trying to apply for grants & any fundraising we can possibly think of, in the meantime if you are able to help contribute to our sanctuary PayPal account we would GREATLY appreciate it!
Our PayPal addy: rustichollowshelter@gmail.com
Amazon Wishlist
www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/QD0W1S50JVST?ref_=wl_share&fbclid=IwAR0zOyRULuC85UoEsrw9uzsle1djGRM1o89dnrkhwtaCuMwTuOKM0RXxJt4
If you would like to mail your donations our mailing address is:
C & W Rustic Hollow Shelter
PO Box 67
Nashua, IA 50658
Thank you!!
Rustic Hollow Staff
​

Well, it's been a very quiet year at Rustic Hollow since February and our last fund raiser of the year. The cats in residence don't know that things have changed, because for them, things have not changed. Their caring staff come daily to tend to them, give them their food, clean their houses and spend time with them.
   The cats have not noticed that there are no visitors, none of their volunteers, coming in to see them over the past months since March.
Due to Covid-19, we closed our sanctuary to all  incoming cats, visitors and volunteers.
So it has been much quieter year at Rustic Hollow. All of our fund raisers are cancelled through end of year if not beyond. That registers as a lot of lost $$$$ to help us feed and care for the 218 cats that call Rustic Hollow their 'furever' home. 
  We thank all of our supporters who have stepped up and given what they can to help us continue our work with special needs animals. The donations of dry and wet food are so appreciated and much needed.

In August, 23 counties in Iowa were devastated by a sudden inland hurricane, a Derecho, that went through several states causing the loss of 10 million acres of crops; destroying hundreds of homes and doing much damage. We were fortunate enough to be spared from the severity of that storm as the counties that were hit are about 3 hours or less south of our sanctuary. A Derecho maintains wind of over 110 mph, similar to a category 3 hurricane. 

​A Very Happy Valentine’s Day Wish from all of us a C & W
We have a ‘Fun’ ‘Fun’draiser for you this February


All of the furkids, staff, Board of Directors & volunteers at Rustic Hollow wish you a great New Year in 2020 and a Happy Valentine’s Day too. Marigold, Cricket, Deuce & Olivia, Gracie Mae and ALL the R.H. furs have a purrfectly pawsitively fun fundraiser so you can help them raise some $$$ for our Valentine Treats (and Carmen says our vet work too..ugh)…. but here are some ways you can share the love with others and with some of us very special furs at Rustic Hollow.
Our Valentine Tree
Remember a special pet or person on our ‘Valentines Tree.’ It is bare and waiting for you to fill it with hearts. On each heart we will place the name of the person or pet you wish to honor or remember and your name will also be on the heart.
Honor your pet or a person in your life for only $10 per honoree.
Your gift will help fill our tree with hearts and help with medical care for many felines at Rustic Hollow.
For $15 (each) we will not only place a heart on our Valentine Tree, we will send a Valentine to the person you are honoring. So be sure to have mailing addresses for any valentines you would like sent out. And the name’s of the pet(s) or persons you are honoring.
Send as many as you wish for just $10 per person or pet... We want to fill our tree(s) this Valentine’s Day. LAST year it took THREE Trees to get all of your Valentine honorees on. Let’s do that again.


So from all of us at Rustic Hollow, Happy Valentine’s Day.
We look forward to your Valentines for our tree. You may also make your own heart and send it for us to place on the tree. Be sure to include WHO the heart is for and have Your name on it too.
You can also write what you want on the heart.

Pictured here are VIDEOS of our caregiver team who braved the 30 degree February 1st temps and did their part to raise funds for the cats in their care.  Very proud of our team!!

Hannah Keller's first time with our ice bucket challenge

​​Izabelle Bunn's first year of our 2nd Annual Ice Bucket Challenge. She was a trooper!!

Pictured here are photos of our caregiver team who braved the 30 degree February 1st temps and did their part to raise funds for the cats in their care. Very proud of our team!! First photo below is team member GINA DEVRIES who received the most donations and was awarded with a prize for being FIRST PLACE. Her words just before being doused, were "We love our kitties!!!"

ABOVE: BRODY DEVRIES, Rustic Hollow volunteer, also participated in the Ice Bucket challenge-with a smile!!

Brandy Hudson, gets a bucket from Board Member Jennifer Biby, who also participated in the event.

This was Izabelle Bunn's first year of our 2nd Annual Ice Bucket Challenge. She was a trooper!!

It was also Hannah Keller's first time with our Ice Bucket challenge. 

Team member and caregiver at Rustic Hollow, Preston Walker took it all in stride. It wasn't his first 'dunking' as he has done a couple of the river 'plunges', diving into the cold water. His experience shows as he was calm as can be!

Last but not least, Preston gets to turn the bucket around and 'share' it with R. Hollow Board member and coordinator of the event, Jennifer Biby. She and  Brandy Hudson worked together on this year's challenge fund raiser. Thank you Jennifer!

And here's the whole group getting ready to 'take one for the team.'  On the far LEFT is Brianne DeVries, caregiver and our staff Photographer with a CAPITAL P. She takes absolutely fantastic photos and you can see more of her photos and photos from other staff on our Rustic Hollow Shelter Facebook page too.